Artificial leg



UNITED STATES PATENT EErcE.

JAMES F. B-OWLEY, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

ARTIFICIAL LEG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 314,726, dated March3l, 1885.

` Application filed January 10, 1885. (No model.)

` To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Vshown in Fig. l.

Be it known that I, JAMEs F. RowLEY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica,and a resident ofthe city of Des Moines, in the county of Polkand State of Iowa, have invented an Improved Artificial Leg, of whichthe following is a specilication.

My objectis, first, to provide alateral motion for the foot at theankle-joint as well as forward and backward motions; second, to make theleg extensible and adjustable to correspond with the growth of a naturalleg that may be developing on a growing person at the side of anartificial leg 5 third, to produce astrong and elastic joint in thefront of the foot that will be self-adjusting under pressure.

I accomplish the results contemplated, as hereinafter fully set forth,and pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in whichn Figure l is a vertical and longitudinal section ofmy invention, Fig. 2, a view of the top portion of the leg, taken atright angles relative to Fig.l ,to show my device for lengthening theleg. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the top section and extensibledevices, and Fig. 4 a bottom View of the foot.

A represents the bulk of the foot, made of wood.

B is a recess formed iu the central portion of its under side.

G is a concavo-convex solid plate, made of hard rubber or metal,tittedin a concave formed in the top of the foot and firmly secured thereto bymeans of screws.

Dis the lower portion and shank of the leg, made of wood and cut offsquare at both ends and connected with the foot by means of aballand-socket joint. j A vertical bore is provided in the center of itslower end to form a socket for a ball. Y f is a ball on the end of ascrew-bolt secured in the socket by means of a solid rubber or metalbase-piece, g, that is xed against the square bottom ofthe shank andthat has a boss, g', on its upper side and center extending into thesocket and against the ball f, as clearly The under side of thebasepiece g is convex, `and fits in the concave top of the plate C, thatis xed to the foot.

h is a tubular elastic rubber block itted in abore or chamber formed inthe under side and center of the base-piece g.

t' is a clamping-bolt formed integral with or fixed to the ball f andextending through the base-piece g, the boss g', the elastic block h,and thence through a bore into the recess B in the bottom ofthe foot. Bysimply drawing a nut on the screw-threaded end of the clamping-bolt theleg and the foot are iirmly joined together in such a manner as toproduce an ankle-joint that will allow flexion in every direction.

7c represents an elastic tendon fixed to the front portion and lower endof the leg D, and its lower portion divided and extended on the oppositesides of the foot into the recess B, and Vthere fastened to restrict therearward iiexion of the leg relative to the foot and to aid in keepingthe foot in a natural position.

L represents a tubular top end ot' the leg, extending from the woodenshank D to the kneejoint.

m m represent the lower ends of metal bars that are provided with jointsin their centers to produce a knee-joint in a common way. Their top endsare rigidly fixed to a socket adapted to receive the stump of a naturalleg, and their lower ends are xed to a collar, n,

that forms part of the lower end of the tubulary top L.

r r represent metal bearings xed in the opposite sides of the woodenshank D. They correspond in shape with the lower ends of the bars m,that are designed to slide up and down in the bearings and to befastened at any point desired by means of set-screws passed throughperi'orations in the collar a, bars m, and bearings r. By forming aseries of perforations or screw-seats in each bearing r the set-screwscan be readily changed from one point to another,.as required, to adjust the tubular top L relative to the solid shank D for the purpose oflengthening or shortening the complete leg.

s represents the front end or toes of the foot. Its rear convex end isfitted to the front end of the foot and hinged thereto by means of ametal rod, s', that has an eye at one end and a screw on the oppositeend, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

ICO

s" represents an elastic pad xed iiat against the bottom'of the foot andtoes to restrict the ilexion of the hinged toes, to perform the functionof the natural ball of a foot, and to retain 5 the toe in straight andnormal position relative t0 the foot; also, to draw it down when thepressure is relaxed that has inclined it upward.

From the foregoing description of the construction and function ofeachelement and sub- 1o combination, the unitary1 offices of all the partsand the practical operation and utility of my complete invention will beobvious to persons familiar with artificial limbs.

I am aware that the upper portion of the leg 15 has been adj ustablyconnected with the foot, so that the leg could be lengthened below theknee-joint by means of a screw-threaded rod in the center; but my mannerof combining the tubular top portion with a. solid shank by 2o means ofbars fixed to the opposite sides of the t'ubnlarpart and bearings iixedto the solid Sha-nk is newand greatly advantageous.

I am also aware that ankle-joints have been made to allow lateralmotion; but my manner 2'5 of shaping and connecting an elastic block andlelast-ic tendons with the wooden and metallic parts, to vprovideflexion in every direction without relaxing the tension ofthejoint,isnovel and greatly advantageous.

3o I,` claim as my invention- 1. In an artificial leg, the combinationof a wooden foot having a recess in its bottom and a solid rigid platehaving a concave top surface fixed on the top of the foot, a wooden legor shank having a central vertical bore in its bottom, a s'olid rigidbase-piece having a convex surface on its under side and a. boss on itsAfixed rod or bolt, i, as and for the purposes stated.

8. An elastictendon, k, split at its lower end, in combination with theshank of a leg and a foot hinged to the shank, as'and for the purl posesspecified. 4. The combination of the tubular top end of an artificialleg having fixed jointed bars m with the shank of a leg having fixedbearings r, to operate in the manner set forth, for the. purposesstated.

Witnesses: v

THoMAs G. Onwrc, J. M. Sr. JOHN.

JAMES F. Rowtnv.v

